Compensating gear.



T. H. LATIMER.

COMPENSATING GEAR. APLIOATIOH FILED JUNE 15, 1910.

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l THOMAS H. LATIMER, F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

cor/transenne GEAR.,

Application tiled June 15, 1910. Serial No. 356,963.

in compensating gearing, the objects of the invention being to provide a simple, eco

nomical and durable device of the character described, which will maintain identical the peripheral speed of a plurality of rolls or other elements,wliether the same are of the lsame or different diameters. l

One of the principal applications of the invention-is in connection with the manufacture of paper where it is desired to rotate the drive rolls at the same peripheral speed. As is well known in this particular arttwo rolls are usually employed, one of brass and the other of rubber, and between these rolls pass the two endless felt-s which convey the paper pulp. These rolls not only drive these two large felt carriers, but also act to squeeze or press out `the water cairied by thc'fclts and the pulp. They are, accordingly, quite large and heavy, in order that they may properly perform their functions. Further, the work that they must' perform is such that, in a vvery short time, the rubber roll has become worn so that its diameterI is no longer as great as that of the brass roll. Heretofore 'in devices of this character, the shafts carrying these two rolls were geared together and, when the diameter of one roll became lcss'than that of the other, thisv gear connection was removed and one 'roll was driven from the other, the power from the drive roll being transmitted to the other roll through the felt in engagement with the drive roll, the pulp, and the felt in engagement with the driven roll. Transmit-ting the power from one roll to the other through the pulp very deleteriously affects the latter, and it` is one of the particular objects of the present invention to effectively drive these heavy rolls without injuring` the pulp, and togalways rotate them at the same perip'rzls'peid, notwithstanding any difference in the diameters thereof that mayT be produced by Wear or otherwise. Further, all felts, wires or belts driven by frictional contact from one side 'thereof only, by a roller orother means, 'have a certain percentage of slippage which varies according to the work that such belts,

-where it elated therewith;

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Mar. ii, isis,

wires or felts Ahave to perform. Therefore, by driving these latter from both sides, as is possible by the use of the present invention, the slippage and friction is reduced to a minimum and the life of the belt, wires -or fclts is accordinglyprolonged over what itA was under the old method of driving them. ln the paper-making art particularly it is well-known that the woolen felts employed wear out in a very short time7 the nap being rapidly removed by friction; andthis friet-ion` is greatly reduced, and hence 4the life of the felt much increased by driving both top and bottom rollers, Which is practicable when the ,peripheral speed of the rollers is maintained identical by my improved automatic cont-roller or compensating gear.

The invention is herein described as particularly applicable to the manufacture of paper, but it will be understood that the claims are not so limited and thatthe device may be applied to any art or purpose is desired to maintain identical the peripheral speed of a plurality of rolls or other-elements, for any desired or useful purpose.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the wherein Figure l is a longitudinal elevation', partly in section, showing two drive rolls and .my improved compensating gear asso- `Fig. 2 is a right-hand. end elevation corresponding to Fig. l; and Fig. isa side view of part of the gearing, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings, 4 is a base of any suitable or desired construction and accompanying drawings,

material, provided with upright members 5 and G.V On said base 4 is secured a suitable bearing for one end of a shaft 7. This bearing is preferably in two parts, a base portion S and a cap 9,"secured together by mestieri bolts 10. The other end of said shaft 7 is provided with a clutch member l1 of any suitable or desirable construction, which is engaged by a similar clutch member 12 provided on a shaft 13, on' Whih shaft is mounted a roll 14 of suitable size and material, preferably a rubber roll, or av roll with a rubber surface, being employed. The end portions of shaft 13 are supported in bearings preferably similar to that provided for shaft 7, only the right hand bearing l5, 16,' being, however, shown in the drawings.. Sleeve 17, keyed to shaft 13;, and

sleevel, keyed to shaft 7, may, if'desired,-

' be employed to prevent, lengthwise movement of said shafts.

Preferably arranged above' shaft 7 and roll 14 and parallel thereto, is another shaft l 19 and a roll 20. Roll 20,- which is of any suitable material. preferably brass, is carrieid by ashaft'21 suitably mounted in bearm ings, similar to those heretofore described.

Only the right hand bearing provided on upright. 6 is, however, shown. Preferably the base portion 22 of this hearing 1s an arm' integral with upright 6 and pro]ect1ng therefrom, capportion' 23- being secured theretoin any suitable manner. Shaft 21 is preferably provided with a collar 24 and with a suitable clutch member 25, which latter engages a similar clutch member 26 mounted on one end of shaft 19. The other end of-shaft 19 passes through and rotates- Within a4 boxing 27 provided with a bearing surface 28 curved in a vert-ical plane. Surface 28 engages, preferably, in correspond ing depressions in a bearing 29 secured in an, desired ma-nner to 'upright 5, as by bolyts 30. A plate 31 secured to boxing 29 by bolts 32 prevents lateral movement of said shaft 19 and boxing 27. It will, hows() ever, be appreciatedI that if cap y.2S were re# moved, roll 20 and shaft 19 could be readily elevated, the curved surface 28 being the pivot point-. It is frequently desirable to so elevate roll 20, as, for example. when it 3e is necessary to change the felts, and for that purpose, to separate therolls- 14 and 20. Shaft 19 may, if desired, be provided with a sleeve 33' which will bear against the end of boxing A`27.v Loosely mounted 'on shaft 7 is a wheel or casting 34 of any suitable or desired construction, which is driven by any suitable means. Preferably, however, it is provided on its periphery with teeth 33 which mesh with driving gear 36, keyed to shaft 37 suitably mounted in bea-rings 38 (one of which is shown in Fig. 2) arranged on the base 4. vShaft 87 is rotated by any desired means, as by pulley 39 and belt 40, the

latter being driven from any suitable source of power.

Mounted in wheel 34 are a plurality of.

shafts 41 en one end of each of which is -,mounted a pinion 42 meshing with gear keyed fast to shaft 7 and on t-he other tend a-pinion 42 meshing vwith a gear 44 secured by key 45 to sleeve 4 8, which is provided with a bushing 47 and rotates loosely on `Shaft 7. Wheel 34 rotates loosely ,50 on said sleeve. A s1eeve48, fixed to said shaft 7, prevents endwise movement of sleeve 46 toward the left.' Therel is also keyed, or' otherwise suitably secured, to sleeve 46, a gear 49 which meshes with a gear .5 0` keyed to shaft 19, whereby, when said lgear-44 is rotated, movement will be inA parted to shaft 19 and roll 20. Shaft 7 is rotated directly through the engagement of gear 43 and pinions 42.

The provision of a plurality of shafts 41 (here shown as four) on which driving pulions 42 and 42 are mounted, results in the application of power to gears '43 and 44 at. four different and, preferably, equally spaced points, with the result that shaft- 7 is relieved of side thrust and wear 1n' its bearings, and a much lighter' and cheaper shaft may therefore be employed.

The operation of the device is as fol lows When the diameters of therollers are the same,l as when the rolls'are new, the roj tation' thereof is effected without relative movement between 'driving pinions 42 and gear wheel 43 or driving pinions 42" and gear wheel 14e-said pinic-ns being-locked with said gears and acting as driving projections` If, however, the' diameter of one of the rolls, say 14, becomes smaller, as through wear, it would be necessary for roll'20 to rotate'slo'wer on account of its larger size, and pinions 42 will thereupon automatically rotate on their axes at a speed such that the rolls 14 and 20, notwithstanding their different diameters, will revolve at thesame peripheral speed.

The application of power at the periphery of wheel 34, as heretofore described, per* mits of practically adjusting the peripheral speed of even such heavy working elements as the drive rolls used in paper making, and the loose mounting ofwheel 34 on shaft 7 reduces the number of shafts necessarily employed, inasmuch as shaft 7 may, and is, used as one of the main driving shafts and is connected to roll 14.

lVhile the invention is herein particularly described as applied to two drive rolls, it will be understood that it might be applied to any other rotating elements, the ripheral speed of which it is sought to maintain constant. y What is claimed is n 1. In a device of the character described, a shaft, an element rotated thereby, a wheel loosely mounted on said shaft, means engagmg said wheel at its periphery and rotating the same, a gear fixedly mounted on said shaft on .one side. of said wheel, a gear loosely mounted on said shaft on the other side of said wheel, a plurality of shafts carried by said wheel, a pinion mounted onone end of each of said shafts and'meshing with said fixed gear, and a pinion mounted on the other end of each of said shafts and meshing with vsaid loose gear, a second gear loosely mounted on1 said first-mentioned shaft, a second shaft parallel with said first shaft, an element rotated` thereby, anda gear fixedly mounted on said shaft and meshing with said second loose gear where- Loodsen by said shafts are rotated in opposite directions. I

2. In a device of the character described, a shaft, an element rotated thereby, a Wheel loosely mounted von said shaft, means engaging said wheel at its periphery and rotating A the same, a gear fixedly mounted on said shaft on one side of said wheel, 'a gear loosely mounted on said shaft on the other side of said wheel, a plurality of shafts oarried. by said wheel and disposed equidst-antly from each other,` a mion mounted on one end of each of said s seits and meshing with said ixed gear, and a pinion mounted on the other end of each of said shafts and meshing with said loose gear, a second' Vgear loosely mounted on said first-mentioned shaft, e second shaft .parallel with said rst shaft-,an element rotated thereby, andoonneotions between said second shaft and said second loose gear.

3. In a device of the character described,

a shaft, a roll rotated thereby', a sleeve'loosely same, a plurality eisha ts carried by said i Wheel, a pinion mounted on one end of each of `said shafts and meshing 'with said gear fixed on said fist-metioned shaft, and e pinion mounted on the other 4end of eaohof said shaftsand meshi with the gear xed 'on said sleeve, a secon gear xedly mounted on said sleeve, a second shaft arallel with said irst'sha't, a roll rotated t ereby, a gear fixedly mounted on said shaftand and meshing with said second gear fixed to said sleeve whereby said shafts are rotated in opposite directions.

In testimony whereof I have `signed this specification in the presence of two subscribmg Witnesses. y THOMAS H. LATIMER. Witnesses:

donn S. Essenza.,

L.' SCOTT Towivaawn 

